President Yoweri Museveni has stressed that the people of Europe and of Africa should appreciate and value much the fact that when one buys one’s products he or she is doing a lot in supporting the prosperity of the seller.
“There has been a lot of sleeping among Europeans and Africans. If one buys your product, he is supporting your prosperity,” he said.
The President made the comments at State House, Entebbe when he received a German delegation of investors that was led by the German Ambassador to Uganda, Dr. Albrecht Conze. Minister for Information, ICT and Communications, Hon. Judith Nabakooba and of State for Planning, Hon. David Bahati, attended the meeting.
The delegation briefed President Museveni on the progress of their investment portfolios in Uganda. The delegation included the Johs Gram-Hanssen Group that is involved in shipbuilding, which has also supplied a number of ferries that are plying Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga and River Nile. The company’s Uganda Country representative, George Mwebembezi, represented the Group at the meeting.
The President used the occasion to urge the venture in security printing to carry out all the printing chores locally and save Uganda large expenses. He noted that Uganda has been spending US$70 million per annum in printing the currency notes abroad.
He reiterated his desire to utilize modern technology in building houses from materials made of rice straw after being informed that the German investors were progressing in using straw from rice in Nwoya District for purposes of construction of houses. He said that once they prove that the technology is resistant to termite attacks, he would give them the green light to build houses for teachers.
The German Envoy to Uganda, Dr. Albrecht Conze, reported that a German firm, which is involved in the development of Bukasa Inland Port, is making steady and appreciable progress in that venture. He assured the President that the facility would definitely be a success because of the well-appreciated fact that water transport is relatively cheaper than road transport. Ambassador Conze also said that one of the German firms has won a contract to build the 60-km Atiak Laroki Road in Northern Uganda.
During the meeting, 2 coffee processing companies – Kawere Coffee and Ibero Ugand – reported the progress of their ventures. Ibero Uganda disclosed that the firm has provided planting materials, including fertilizers, to Ugandan coffee farmers.
It was revealed that 70 farmer groups have benefited from the service of receipt of materials in the coffee production sector in the country and that plans were underway to attract more investors who have the capacity to roast and process coffee for the export market. It was further revealed that the German coffee investors are targeting to fund 45,000 farmers within the next 3 years.
